Contribution of Fishing Trip Spending to Local Economies

Although fishing trip-related expenditures in Michigan are estimated to exceed $1 billion annually (NSFHWAR, 2011), relatively few details are known about this money flow.  Managing fisheries requires knowledge not only of total expenditures, but also which economic sectors and regions are receiving these expenditures as well as the relative amounts of spending generated by different types of fishing.  Our research will better inform fishery management and regional economic planning by providing a comprehensive measure of the contributions of anglers to local economies.  To collect data, a combined internet and mail survey was conducted with 4,099 randomly-selected licensed anglers in Michigan (response rate=44%).  Anglers reported their number of fishing trips during the 2012-2013 season for five fishing categories based on modes and trip length, and provided detailed expenditures for a selected trip.  Analyses indicate fishing out of a boat on the Great Lakes had the highest total trip-related spending per person per year with a mean of approximately $4,400, and fishing at an inland lake had a significantly different mean of approximately $1,000 (p=0.002).  We also analyze differences in spending profiles among various modes of trout and salmon fishing, as well as between multiple day trips and single day trips.